Laser cutters are fantastic for quickly working tough and even delicate materials. You’ll need a laser cutter if you work with different materials and need to cut things efficiently. There’s simply no question about that. However, the question is about how much laser-cutting power you need.

Adequate power for laser cutters is crucial. It dictates how quickly you can work with materials. Additionally, the quality and precision of the cuts also depend on the power. The more powerful your cutter is, the more precise and high-quality your cuts will be. Here’s all you need to know about laser cutter power.

Understanding Laser Cutting and Laser Cutting Power

Put in simple terms, the laser cutter’s power is how much energy it puts out from the laser head. If you have a high-powered laser, it’ll put out more energy. As a result, you’ll be able to cut thicker materials. Additionally, the cuts can be wider and deeper. You’ll also remove more materials from your workpiece.

On the other hand, a relatively low-powered laser cutter puts out less energy. You’ll get straighter cuts with a low-power laser cutter. But the cuts will be shallower. So, there’s a trade-off to both.

This is why you must understand laser cutter power and how it affects you. Laser cutting power is usually measured in watts (w).

Chart for Laser Cutting Power for Different Materials

Is Laser Cutting Power Important?

The power of a laser cutter is one of its most important specifications. It directly impacts the type of material you can work with. Soft and flammable materials require high power to avoid charring or bursting into flames.

Additionally, a high-powered quality laser cutter will also allow for much cleaner cuts. Power is also important to make deeper cuts on thicker workpieces. If you’re looking to invest in a laser cutter, the power is something you need to look into.

How Much Laser Cutting Do You Need?

One of the key factors for deciding how much laser cutting power you’ll need is to know what kind of materials you’ll be working with. Laser cutters are extremely versatile. 

They can make quick work of most materials. But if you’re only going to work with a few materials, here’s the power requirement for specific materials:

Laser Cutting Power: Paper

Paper is a very soft material. Additionally, they’re also flammable. So, cutting paper comes with a bit of nuance. If you use a very high-powered laser cutter, you’ll char the edges. Even worse, you might even cause a fire. A cutting power of 10 – 15 watts for paper is perfectly adequate. This means that all laser cutters will do the job if you’re working with paper.

Laser Cutting Power: Metal

Metal, on the other hand, is harder to work with. Apart from them being quite hard, they also have a reflective surface. So, the shiny surface causes the laser beam to bounce off. It reduces the cutting efficiency of the laser. Using a CO2 laser, use a 1KW laser for cutting. However, a 500-watt fiber laser will be perfect for metal.

Laser Cutting Power: Plastics

Plastics are tricky to cut with lasers because of head-affected zones. Check out this video for a better understanding. It uses welding, but the idea is the same.

A water jet cutter might be the best option for plastics since they don’t produce any heat-affected zone. If you still want to use a laser cutter, get a relatively high-powered one. Powerful laser cutters reduce the dwell time and minimize heat-affected zones.

You should use a 40 – 80 watts cutter for small applications. However, an 80 – 100 watt cutter is recommended for industrial applications.

Laser Cutting Power: Leather

The leather industry sees one of the highest applications of laser cutters. It’s because of the extremely precise and high-quality cuts they can produce. So, how much power do you need for leather? For synthetic leather, a 40-watt laser cutter will do the job. But if you’re working with tougher natural leather, at least an 80-watt laser cutter is recommended.

Laser Cutting Power: Fabric

If you’re working with fabric, at least you’ll need the same 40-watt laser cutter. This is for small applications. However, for industrial or large commercial applications, 80 watts is the minimum.

Additionally, laser cutter power isn’t the only thing to consider here. Cutting fabric with a laser cutter sometimes results in frayed or sealed edges. So, keep your needs in mind.

Laser Cutting Power: Wood

You can cut pretty much all kinds of wood with a laser cutter. However, softer wood like basswood, cedar, and pinewood are the easiest to cut. We recommend a power of at least 150 watts for industrial wood-cutting applications with lasers. However, there’s another caveat. You need a high-pressure air assist to reduce heat-affected zones.

Laser Cutting Power: Glass

Cutting glass presents similar challenges as metal. The reflective surfaces bounce the laser and reduce its effectiveness. A relatively high-powered CO2 with at least 80 watts of power is recommended.

Remember that if you want to cut glass, you’ll need a CO2 laser. Other laser cutters, like diodes, are only good for engraving.

Wrapping Up

Laser cutters are very efficient and produce some of the cleanest cuts. However, power is an important factor to consider. All laser cutters aren’t the same. Additionally, depending on what kind of material you’re working with, you might need to source the laser cutter with the right power specifications.

We work with the best suppliers of laser cutters. If you want to know more and find the network of the top supplies, contact us now! Our years of experience in the market have helped thousands of businesses source the perfect laser cutter for their needs. No matter the industry.